How can senior leaders support improvement efforts?
Establish “stretch aims” or “stretch goals.” Show by your constancy and your commitment that you intend to do what is necessary in the organization to achieve the new level of performance. State and restate the aims. Monitor the process frequently. If you really want improvement to move fast, review progress daily, or hourly if necessary. Stay in touch with the improvement effort. Support the team leader. Phone the leader. Pay specific, personal attention. Visit the team. Drop in on meetings, even if only for a couple of minutes. Visit the site of the change. Walk through the Intensive Care Unit, or the clinic, or the Operating Room. Show that you’re aware of the improvement work being done. Look at the charts that are monitoring progress. Ask how you as an executive can be more helpful. Move the improvement effort up on the agenda. Make it clear that improvement has high priority in the organization. One senior leader who had been formally reviewing the progress of an improvement effo
